Redone: Feb. 23, 2011

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the settings. Anything that is not is canon is mine. This disclaimer is applicable for the entire story, and I won't be adding it to each chapter.

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Glaring at his breakfast, he didn't notice a small brown owl flying overhead until it swopped down and dropped the folded up parchment on his scrambled eggs and sausage. He glared even harder at the bird as it flew off; apparently it was smart enough not to stay around. A quick shift of his eyes told him no one was looking at him and he opened the letter.

Meet me in the Astronomy Tower at midnight tonight. We need to talk.

It wasn't signed. A bit of his natural curiosity was piqued at who would send him such a letter. It could have been any number of girls really; he had grown up since First Year and was no longer a prat. Now he was a gloriously sexy prat, and proud of it. He figured he would go, since he wanted to know what this was about, but would err on the side of caution. He wasn't stupid, no matter what anyone said.

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He waited in his dorm until midnight. He had been fidgeting all night waiting for his dorm-mates to fall asleep. The note had been on the edge of his mind ever since he got that morning. Being half-distracted, thinking up possibilities of what it could be, what the talk needed was, who sent it flitting through his head wasn't the best combination for attention is McGonagall's and Snape's classes…

But finally! He he'd had enough of waiting, he could leave five minutes to, take his (relatively) slow time getting there and the sender of the curious note would still be there before him.

He made it there in five minutes flat. Damn. Stupid curiosity. He muttered under his breath about a Malfoy having more control, before giving up. He'd long since gotten used to what his curiosity did to him when it was piqued, which was partly why he never told anyone and tried his darnedest to not let anyone know about this slightly demented side of him.

A shadowed figure moved out of the corner and stepped into the light coming through the window. He was a bit startled that she of all people would be sending him a letter about them needing to talk.

"Malfoy, I know you're here. You've been distracted all day, so I'm assuming your curiosity got the better of you." 'Again' was muttered but the wind carried it to his ears. He scowled. Apparently someone had noticed his curiosity. He thought for a moment. She wasn't likely to tell anyone. No, she'd probably keep it to herself, if only to use it against him.

"And what could we possibly have to talk about Granger?" He sneered on the last word.

She gave him a half-assed glare. "What we have to talk about is a mutually beneficial plan for the both of us."

He slowly walked towards her. "What could you propose that would be beneficial to both of us? More specifically, me? I'm quite sure there are several things that could be beneficial for you. What do I get out of this plan?"

Her glare hardened. "Revenge."

Curiosity came to the fore, again. The thrice-damned thing. He leveled a look at her, one eyebrow cocked.

"Simply put. I want revenge on a certain Weasley." Ah, yes. The Weasel. According to the Rumor Mill of Hogwarts™, a certain red-headed member of the Golden Trio had been caught cheating on the only female of said group with none other than Lavender Brown.

Apparently, when angered enough, even the diminutive kitty had claws. He knew what she wanted; or had a vague idea in any case.

"I could care less who he cheated on me with, but the fact that he cheated on me… I'm not about to let that go!" Her brown eyes had darkened and narrowed in anger, her hands subconsciously twitching as if dreaming of a red-headed neck being strangled.

Slightly surprised at her viciousness, Draco Malfoy took the time to actually look at the muggle-born witch before him.

She on the other hand was still talking, so involved in her revenge-fueled rage that she didn't notice her old enemy watching her, not paying the slightest attention to what was coming out of her mouth.

"I also happen to know that Pansy rather humiliated you by sleeping, and being caught, with some pansy-assed, pardon the pun, Fifth Year Hufflepuff. Bad enough that she cheated on you, the Slytherin Prince, but to do so with someone, two years younger? And a Hufflepuff at that? How embarrassing."

That little speech caught his attention. And his anger. How dare she mock him? And yet, she wasn't really. He knew enough to realize that she was purposely goading him so he wouldn't think clearly and accept her proposal with little thought. Unfortunately the little mudblood was right. Bad enough she had done so, but if even the Mudblood knew, certainly the entire school would. Damn that pretentious little bitch!

Hermione knew from the pinched aggression on his face that he wanted revenge, and hopefully she'd be able to pitch her idea well enough that he'd join her on it. After all, they were both the only person that would make for maximum effect.

She glanced at him again, he seemed lost in thoughts of Pansy and her ultimate destruction.

"What I am essentially proposing, is that for the next indeterminable amount of time, we put aside our differences and become allies. I want revenge on Weasley, and you are the best person to help me carry that revenge out. Malfoy I want you to become my boyfriend."

He started paying attention somewhere around becoming allies and understood her explanation. The part about him becoming her boyfriend however, shocked him so much his usual sneer was replaced with a slightly slacked jaw and eyes widening just the tiniest bit.

Hermione smirked. "As pretend only, of course. The way I figure, you are the best person to use for a maximum effect; the general rivalry between our two Houses and of course, Ron's personal hatred of and for you. In the reverse, I am the best person for you to use as revenge against Pansy.

We can work out an offensive strategy set over a time-line and continue it until the losses exceed the gain. We will have to come up with a back story so this won't be seen as an obvious act of revenge. Also, we may need to get some help creating a trail of easy-to-follow hints that lead into 'our' past as a 'couple'. I'm hoping your close friends in Slytherin can help us with that. Only people you absolutely trust, and even then I may consider getting a Vow of Silence."

Shock, however subtle, once again flashed through quicksilver eyes.

"It's not that I don't trust them. From my perspective, if you can trust them in this matter, so can I, but I will not take any chances that might allow for any kind of leak that will ruin my revenge. I've already hired the eldest Creevey for a little detective work. So far, it has paid off. I've had him take a Vow of Silence as well. I am not going to let anything ruin the complete and utter humiliation of one Ronald Weasley. By my hand!"

If he had been shocked to hear her original proposition, he had been even more amazed at the depth of her planning. And now her viciousness was just plain scary… In a completely girly way of course. She was a mudblood, and a girl at that. No way a Malfoy would ever be scared of one such as her.

Apparently she had continued talking while he stared on in morbid amazement.

"Of course, those are just my plans, I don't really know what you have planned for Pansy, but I'm up for anything if you help me and I'm quite sure we could incorporate it easily. Of course this is all tentative, resultant on your decision. If you decide against it, that's fine, we never had this talk. I'll find someone else to work my plans. Blaise was my second option admittedly. You can't tell him. Or go ahead, it doesn't really matter ether way…"

Her words trailed off, one hand propped against her chin in thought, the other supporting it across her stomach.

He thought about what she had propositioned. He could say no, even though this was a (slightly, grudgingly given) better plan than he'd come up with so far. But he wouldn't tell Granger that. He could say no now, walk away and then make sure Blaise or any other male that Hermione talked to would say no as well. He could totally ruin her plans, right here and now.

And from the way she held herself, she knew it too. Despite all that she was willing enough to go through with this. And would no doubt come up with some plan to go around what obstacles he could come up with.

In that moment, Malfoy was reminded of his mother, the same determination and perseverance she had was reflected in the witch before him.

"Why not just write, 'Meet me in the Head Tower.'?" She gave him a look.

"Oh please Malfoy! Do you honestly think you would've gone so had you known it was me that sent the note? You wouldn't have bothered to read past the first line had I written it like that. I wrote so it could have been from anyone in the school, minus a few obvious people. I was one of them. I'd never ask you for help, so why not meet up with the mysterious person?" She paused for a moment. "I also put a mild enchantment on the letter to keep it constant in your mind, so you would be thinking about throughout the day… I apologize for that."

Malfoy was having one hell of a night! The tiny little muggle-born witch, inferior to him in almost every way, had shocked him several times since the beginning of the conversation, and seemed intent on continuing to do just that!

He was slightly angered about the fact that he had been enchanted, but he waved that aside for more important thoughts. He did want revenge on Pansy. It would also be a good way to get back at his father. Even thought he'd been put in a maximum security prison cell in Azkaban, Draco wanted to rub something in his face. Because seriously, as a child he had been taught that a Malfoy bows to no one; Purebloods are superior to everything else, and blood would always win out.

And then his idiotic father went crawling back to the Dark Lord. How pathetic. Malfoys don't crawl, or bow or scrape before anyone. He may have agreed with some of the ideals, but not all of them. Besides, if all the inferiors were killed off, how and to whom would they be superior to? It was ill-thought logic. And just plain stupid.

But prior to his capture, almost a year ago now, he had been trying to force Draco to get the mark. And as much as he hated to say it, he really hoped Pothead would finish off the Dark Lord in the next year or so.

But back to the present. He looked again at the woman-child before him and made a snap decision that would hopefully be worth the venture.

"Fine. But there are certain things that will be done my way and no arguments will be brooked! You need my help in this Granger, not the other way around. You will do as I say and won't complain. Is that clear?"

She nodded in agreed. "I figured you'd say something like that. But just to clarify Malfoy, when I follow your orders or instructions, it will be for the continuation of our plan only. Be it in public or private. But if I don't agree, I will -not- do it. Understand that before anything begins."

The half-glare was really only done out of habit, she didn't have the energy to give a full scowl to the blond. She was tired and had gotten what she'd wanted. They could work the details out later.

"Alright. Send me a note sometime later this morning about when you are free to meet up to discuss details and begin planning. I'm tired and still need to work on some things before I go to bed."

She yawned and moved past him, but a quick wrist grabbed her elbow and stopped her from going any further.

"I don't think it's very nice to just leave your boyfriend without saying goodnight, do you?" He leered at her. She just looked at him through bored eyes.

"Goodnight Cheri." He pulled her back to him and dropped a quick, but forceful kiss on her mouth. She looked at him after he pulled away and gave a tiny half-smirk out of the corner of her mouth.

"Goodnight Darling." And then she turned and walked out of the Tower and back to their dorm. As Head Girl, she had no -real- time constrictions, as well as her own room and didn't have to report her (late) entry to anyone.

She knew that Mal…Draco, she thought, his name is Draco and he is now your boyfriend, however falsely. And girls don't call their boyfriends by their last name! She paused as she remembered how she had called Ron by his last name not twenty minutes ago. Unless they're seriously pissed off. And technically he's not even my boyfriend anymore either so really, that was a moot point.

-Draco- would be along shortly after her. She was hardly surprised that he had been named Head Boy, or that she had been named Head Girl. Because, honestly, who else would they have asked? Both were at the top of their year, Hermione slightly ahead of Draco; respected by their peers, and both indulged in extracurricular activities. Though Malfoy's, were, for the most part, actually sanctioned by the school, unlike Hermione's.

All in all, Hermione decided, it definitely could have been worse. She was up another hour, scribbling away on parchment. Most of it actually was homework and assignments due the following week, but every so often she'd jot down a possible idea. Malfoy had walked in half an hour after her. She bade him a goodnight as he moved from the common/study area to his room on the opposite side. Sighing, she finished writing her last thought and began packing away her materials. As she did she looked around the room that had been hers, and Malfoy's, for the past three weeks.

It was stylishly decorated in neutral tones of creamy ivory and a soft sea blue. A few accent pieces in sandy tones made the room complete. She had never been so thankful that the Professors had not tried to mesh Slytherin and Gryffindor colors together. Bad enough that she had been surrounded by red and gold for the past six years, but throwing green and silver in would just make it look like Christmas had exploded in their living space.

Not that she didn't like Christmas mind, it was just that the colors became irritating after a very short while. Especially if one happened to be a neutral-color kind of person, like Hermione was. But she had fallen in love with the room the moment she entered.

A fireplace had been set up on the left side of the room, with two beautifully simplistic gold and cream chaise lounges arranged around it with several large comfy chairs and benches placed strategically around the room. Two large, ornate cherry-oak desks were angled along the right wall to face a set of bay windows that were charmed to show summer weather with the occasional storm passing over.

Paintings of scenic valleys and little villages adorned the walls, there were no portraits thank heaven. On either side of the bay window was a door. These led to the Heads' rooms, and each had a balcony attached on the far side of the room. French doors, heavily warded mind, allowed air to flow through on nice days.

The only similarities between the two rooms were the beds, another, smaller, desk and the closet. The color scheme and any extra furniture came about by the student thinking it, wanting it, into being. Unfortunately, this period of 'wishing' only lasted for the first two days, so one had to choose carefully lest they be stuck with something they hated. Thankfully she had noticed the parchment on her personal desk that held instructions on how to utilize the room. She was unsure if Malfoy…Draco…had found his. But in all honestly, she didn't particularly care, as she didn't have to live in his room.

Quickly changing into her pajamas, she slipped under the covers and drifted off to sleep, feeling intensely satisfied with the way the day had passed.

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